/ Dictionary / Index C criminalize: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: crim•i•nal•ize Pronunciation: (krim'u-nl-īz"), [key] — -ized, -iz•ing. to make punishable as a crime: To reduce the graffiti on subway cars, he wants to criminalize the selling of spray paint to minors. to make a criminal of: Drug use has criminalized him. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: criminalize (Thesaurus) criminality criminal law Related Content Daily Word Quiz: tenacious Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language